Field test method for estimation of concentration of organic materials in water

Abstract

This invention relates to use of adsorption resins and ion exchange resins to separate selected organic materials and quantify their concentration in an aqueous solution based upon comparison to a visual standard. This process can be carried out in a relatively short time period and does not require special electronic equipment. Therefore, it can be conveniently used as a field test method to determine concentration of organic materials in aqueous solutions. This invention is especially useful in quantifying the concentration of triazoles in industrial cooling water.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An analytical process for quantitatively identifying concentrations of triazoles in aqueous solutions which comprises: (a) a separation step which comprises: (1) passing an aqueous solution containing at least one triazole through an adsorbing medium wherein said adsorbing medium preferentially adsorbs said triazoles; and   (2) eluting said triazole from said adsorbing medium by addition of an effective amount of a suitable eluting solvent; and     (b) a quantification step which comprises: (1) passing the eluate containing said triazole through an ion exchange resin wherein said ion exchange resin is in metal ion form and wherein said metal ions react with said triazole to form a colored product; and   (2) eluting excess metal ions from said ion exchange resin by addition of an effective amount of an aqueous inorganic salt to expose the adsorbed metal ion triazole colored product; and   (3) comparing said product to a visual standard to determine concentration.     
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said aqueous solution is cooling water. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said adsorbing medium is a non-ionic macroreticular resin. 
     
     
       4. The process in claim 3 further characterized in that said non-ionic macroreticular resin is Amberlite XAD-4. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said ion exchange resin is an acidic cationic exchange resin. 
     
     
       6. The process in claim 5 further characterized in that said acidic cationic exchange resin is Dowex 50W-X2. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said metal ion is an ion of the metal copper. 
     
     
       8. The process of claim 1 further characterized in that said visual standard is a series of colored metal ion triazole complexes, each element in the series having a concentration incrementally varied from the others, wherein each element of the series is prepared by a process which comprises: (a) passing an aqueous solution having a known concentration of triazole through an ion exchange resin, wherein said ion exchange resin is in metal ion form and wherein said metal ions are reactive towards said triazole; and   (b) eluting excess metal ions from said ion exchange resin by addition of an effective amount of an aqueous inorganic salt to expose the adsorbed metal ion triazole colored product.